ELIJAH RAISES THE WIDOW'S SON

Reading from 1 kings ch. 17 vs 17 -24

We sometimes always look at hardship or bad situations in a closed way. It makes sense because it doesn't feel great and no one wants to be struggling. After going through this passage I got to look at it differently, that maybe these bad things that happen to us help us really evaluate or expose what we actually believe about God. It's often very subtle but there's things we assume should go certain ways for us because we trust and believe God or maybe because certain things have always happened we think of God only in those ways. But sometimes bad things happen and the real truths about what and how we think about God come out. The widow at Zaraphath recieved Elijah on the day that she had the last of her food and was preparing to eat it with her son and die. God chose her and saved her home when she obeyed Elijahs command and the food never run out. She encounters God or sees him as a miracle worker.

It's always cool to read this passage and just be reminded that God is the true provider and source of everything, when you truly trust in and wait on him he will make available all your needs. Now the Widow's son got severely ill, lost all his breath and died. The widow then goes to Elijah and says something that stood out, she said "what have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!" I look at this and it's a stance most of us take when bad stuff happens, she like puts the blame on Elijah for this and her statement makes me think she was thinking one of two things or both. Maybe living with Elijah a man of God made her think about her sin and maybe feel judged or that the reason for her son dying was because of the sin she committed. Or maybe Elijah's presence caused the death, whichever the case it was the presence of Elijah that was causing these bad things to happen.

I think of this and ourselves how we tend to think we maybe did something wrong and the bad situation is a consequence of the sin or maybe we just blame God for the situation. I think about how we easily switch up when things are nolonger going our way for lack of a better term. Think of this widow, prior to Elijahs arrival she was preparing to eat and die with her son but God came in and provided and they ate and continued to live. Now a bad thing happens and all of a sudden it's because of Elijah, it's interesting but at the same time it highlights our hearts posture. What are we really believing about God? Is he only the God who brings or makes good happen for him to be good? Is it his fault when bad happens because he is the God who can control all things? Do we believe and trust in God when things are not going our way or our love for him is dependent on everything going smoothly? Bad situations make us sit face to face with these questions and make us evaluate our faith and what it is really based on.

Elijah didn't argue with her and try to defend himself, all he did was ask her to give him her son and she did and he went with him to the room where he lodged. He laid on him and then questioned God, he asked ," O lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn by killing her son?" He isn't saying God did it but he is asking for clarity if maybe God did allow it or what could be the reason why. He doesn't wait for an answer but takes action, he stretches himself upon the child three times and then cried out to God saying,"O lord my God, let this child's life come into him again".

I look at this and I think about how it's not wrong to ask God why something happened or what caused it but it's not something to dwell on. We must instead be thinking of the actions to take to change things and we must cry out or invite God to work with us on whatever those things are. We need to be confident and also have a surrendering spirit with God, this was a life situation and Elijah believed that God could bring back the life and that's why he cried out and we need to be the same. We need to believe God can Change and help our situations even if we don't really understand why they happened, we need to rely on his power in all situations whether good or bad. God did listen to Elijahs voice and the life of the boy came back into him and he was revived. It's amazing what God did but I think it was because Elijah brought it to him, the thing with bad situations, like the widow we can throw around blame and even complain but it doesn't help the situation. What can actually help is giving it to God and him intervening and directing our steps to solutions.

Elijah went and took the child to the mother and said, " see your son lives", I thought that was cute like look he wasn't gone or like see God can bring back even life. She then said to him that, " now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the lord in your mouth is truth". You see the transition from blame to like assurance and clarity, Elijah's actions in this situation made it clear to her where he put his trust and where his words and power came from. Sometimes the bad situations show us what we really rely on and for Elijah it confirmed who he said he was and that he spoke truth. I think about the widow and how she was able to see God differently and more truthfully, I think of us or myself currently facing hardship and how it's reframing how I see God. I'm learning true trust and surrender even though I have no idea when or if things will change but I understand that God is with me and he is providing all my needs.

I'm not sure what conclusions you might arrive at but do think through what you actually believe about God, if bad happens does he cease to be God or become the villan in the story? Or maybe you start to see that this faith is more than just about everything going good or making sense to us. There is always some purpose in the things God allows us to experience and one thing is he wants us closer to him and to believe in him for who he truly is not the things we imagine or want him to be. Every now and then ask yourself about your faith, ask the hard questions because times are coming where if your foundation is not truly in him who is the rock and in all it's truth, you won't be able to stand. All in all remember Jesus is there to help you through it all. God loves you always!